Maryland Says It Will Lead Nation in Cyber Security

In a summit of state business, education and government leaders, Maryland outlined a plan to brand the state as a leader in the cyber security arena, backing up President Obama’s security initiative and bringing more jobs to the region.

By Avery Fellow | February 5, 2010

Maryland says it will lead the nation in the cyber security industry, branding the state CyberMaryland in an effort to attract companies and jobs to the region.

In a summit at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Governor Martin O’Malley said the state is already effectively acting as the epicenter of security due to its proximity to the federal government.

"Our federal assets are a big part of the reason that we are in a better position than most states to get our state economy back on track and lead our nation into an era of new prosperity," O’Malley said.

More than 50 federal facilities are based in Maryland, along with 12 major military installations, including the National Security Agency, the Army’s Communication and Electronics Command (CECOM), which will soon be locating at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The Defense Information Systems Agency plans to move to Maryland from Virginia next year.

The state also has a wealth of private sector companies specializing in cyber security, including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, SAIC, Oculus and Booz Allen Hamilton. Lockheed Martin employs more than 8,000 people in the state.

Overall, Maryland has one of the highest concentrations of technology jobs in the nation, with 10 percent of jobs classified as technology-related. In 2009, Maryland grew the number of computer systems design jobs by 6.6 percent, the highest percentage growth rate in the nation. According to O’Malley 60,000 Marylanders work in the computer systems, design and related services sector.

Maryland also plans to prepare its residents join the cyber security workforce by bolstering the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs in the state’s schools. Maryland is already home to leading research universities, including Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland.

The state plans to create a National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security in Maryland designed to breach the gap between government, the private sector and academia with cyber security testing laboratories, education and training, and a cyber security/IT law council.

Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian Johansson called the plan an effort to "seize on Maryland’s competitive advantages" and "grow 20th century jobs right here in Maryland."

Please visit http://issuu.com/cybermaryland/docs/cyberreport to view the report.

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